What's happened
William L. Calley Jr., the only U.S. soldier convicted for his role in the My Lai massacre during the Vietnam War, has died at age 80. His death occurred on April 28, 2024, in a hospice in Gainesville, Florida, as reported by multiple sources.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to The Independent, Calley was the only soldier convicted in the My Lai massacre, which resulted in the deaths of hundreds of civilians. The report emphasizes that Calley's actions and subsequent trial highlighted the broader issues of military accountability. Al Jazeera notes that the massacre became emblematic of U.S. abuses during the Vietnam War, with Calley's conviction being a rare instance of accountability. The New York Times elaborates on the horrific details of the massacre, stating that it involved the systematic killing of unarmed civilians, which has left a lasting impact on U.S. military history. The South China Morning Post adds that Calley's conviction was overshadowed by the fact that many other officers involved were acquitted, raising questions about justice in military operations.
How we got here
Calley was court-martialed in 1971 for his involvement in the My Lai massacre, where U.S. soldiers killed hundreds of unarmed Vietnamese civilians. His conviction highlighted the rarity of accountability for U.S. military actions abroad.
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More on these topics
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William Laws Calley Jr. was a United States Army officer and mass murderer who was convicted by court-martial for the murder of 22 unarmed South Vietnamese civilians in the My Lai massacre on March 16, 1968, during the Vietnam War.
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The Mỹ Lai massacre was the mass murder of unarmed South Vietnamese civilians by U.S. troops in Sơn Tịnh District, South Vietnam, on March 16, 1968 during the Vietnam War. Between 347 and 504 unarmed people were killed by U.S.